The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-04-03
STORIES OF THE KISSANES.
One Was with Walker in Nicaragua,
and Sold His Forces to the Enemy.
The Incident of His Treachery as Told by an
Indianapolis Man and Sailor Who
We're with the Expedition.

The prominence given William Kissano, re-
Gently, through reference to An old Indictment
for forgery against him n New York, and by
thesubsequent publication of details relating to
his adventurous career. awakened the memories
OF an indianapolis man. yesterday. who said:
"The name of the Kissane brothers calls up a
Renaissance. They were charged with burning
the Martha Washington, Cincinnati boat,
making occasional trips to New Orleans. It is
said they burnt the boat for the insurance of
bogus cargo, of boots aud shoes. I believe.
There was considerable loss of life, and the ex-
element among river men, and all over the West
and Soath, was intense. The Kssanes did not
owh the boat, but had insured the cargo. The
charge involved infamous scheme, and, with
the loss of life that attended the burning of the
boat. made an incident that is not likely to be
forgotten as long as there are any river men of
1849 in the land Of the living"
II remember the circumstance said Captain
DeSouchet. II was about fifteen years old at
the time. and living at Mount Vernon. The
Martha Washington was what was called
Cincinnati tub, as she was built to 60 through
the canal at Louisville, while the long New
Orleans boats had to stop at Portland"
Il knew the Kssanes both of them, when
was young man in Cincinnati" said John B.
Sullivan; ''and happened to be on the Iroauois
steamboat when she picked up the passengers
of the burning Martha Washington. near Helena,
Ark. was carpenter on the Iroquois"
EYES," said Calvin L. Divine, their trial
at Cincinnati was notable one, and their es-
cape from punishment was long considered one
of the curiosities of criminal law. The Kissanes
were next heard from in Kansas, during the
troubles there. They were on the pro-savery
side of the question, and were banded with the
border ruffians, as they were called. One of
them-the older one, think his name was VIM.
Kissane-chaneed his name. and when next
saw him he was Colonel Titus. In connection
with others he raised about $500 men in New
York, New Orleans and elsewhere, and brought
them down to reinforce General Walker in Mica
ragua. While we were penned up at Rivas We
heard of reinforcements at Castillo Rapids on the
San Juan. They had come to Graytown and up
the San Juan river. Colonel Titus. as he called
himself, came through to Rivas and told us to
hold out; that within forty-eight hours
his command would come to our
relief We found out afterwards that he had
already, before this encouraging talk with u.s.
sold out to the Costa Ricans, leaving us to be
captured. He left us. saying he would go back
to San Juan and come up with his boys. If we
had known of this treachery then with those
wild fihbusters, he would have been torn to
pieces and there wouldn't have been enough left
of him to make respectable book mark He
left the country in haste and went to New York.
At that time Walker had 800 men in Rivas, but
many of them were the sick list. We lay
there six DAYS longer before we discovered that
the reinforcements could not come, and the
news of the treachery came through the enc
mys lines that the men had been disbanded and
were going home Col Titus as the sup
posed to be the elder Kissane called himself in
Nicaragua. was handsome man. can see the
fellow as he came in to us at Rivas that Sunday
afternoon, tall man, who carried himself very
erect. He undoubtedly made barrel of money
by his treason. One more fight could have
saved us, and Tituss cupidity and villainy
caused the death of Walker, who, if the men
had come to his aid. would never have beea
taken and shot by the Costa Ricans."